Connected Car News: Volkswagen, Audi, Keysight, Pre-Switch, Volvo, BMW, BorgWarner, Porsche, Velodyne, Marvel, Gore, Iteris & Hyundai Mobis

In connected car news this week were Volkswagen, Audi, Keysight, Pre-Switch, Volvo, BMW, BorgWarner, Porsche, Velodyne, Marvel, Gore, Iteris and Hyundai Mobis.

VW ID.3 Deposits

There were 10,000 deposits of 1,000 euros ($1,120) eto own a limited-editions Volkswagen AG’s ID.3 electric hatchback, overloading servers. Included in the price of each vehicles is free charging via the WeCharge app.

Following the launch of the ID.3, additional models will roll out, such as those previewed by the concept cars ID. CROZZ, ID. VIZZION and ID. ROOMZZ, and which will in the future also be named with model numbers.

Audi Super Fast Charging Rates

Audi is also gearing up for the e-Tron launch and its very fast charging:

  • 150 kW fast charging over a large portion of the charging procedure
  • 80 percent in 30 minutes, full charging to 100 percent in less than 50 minutes
  • Thermal management facilitates a high performance and longevity

On a day-to-day basis, this means an elementary benefit: For a range of around 100 kilometers, the customer ideally spends less than 10 minutes at the charging terminal. The Audi reaches the 80 percent mark after just under 30 minutes. Even though it takes much longer for technical reasons, to fill the remaining 20 percent of a lithium-ion battery, fully charging the Audi e-tron at a HPC terminal takes less than 50 minutes – an outstanding characteristic compared with the competition.

Kesight C-V2X

Keysight Technologies, announced an extended collaboration with GOHIGH Data Networks Technology Co., Ltd. (GOHIGH) to accelerate cellular-vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technology for connected car applications.

C-V2X serves as the foundation for vehicles to communicate with each other and everything around them. Long-term evolution-vehicle to everything (LTE-V2X), a C-V2X technology defined by the third-generation partnership project (3GPP) in its release 14 standard, supports side-link and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications using PC5, LTE’s direct interface.

GOHIGH, a leading Chinese high-tech company in C-V2X standardization and industrialization under CICT (China Information & Communication Technologies Group Corp.), successfully used Keysight’s C-V2X measurement solutions, including N7626C Signal Studio for V2X and N9080EM4E X-Series Measurement Application for LTE V2X, to validate the radio frequency (RF) performance of the company’s DMD31 LTE-V module. This enabled GOHIGH to accelerate commercial readiness of connected car applications.

The collaboration between Keysight and GOHIGH enables manufacturers of LTE-V standard-based chipsets, devices, as well as on-board units (communication devices mounted on vehicles) and roadside units (communication infrastructure located on the roads), to validate the radio frequency (RF) performance of the PC5 interface. This ensures reliable deployment of C-V2X technology. Users of Keysight’s software-rich and integrated C-V2X solutions can quickly validate LTE-V RF measurements from early R&D to design verification test (DVT) and manufacturing.

Pre-Switch 200kW CleanWave converter

Pre-Switch, Inc., the Silicon Valley start-up that is delivering soft switching for DC/AC and AC/DC power conversion,  announced its CleanWave 200kW silicon carbide (SiC) automotive inverter evaluation system that enables power design engineers to investigate the accuracy of the company’s soft switching architecture and platform over varying load, temperature, device tolerance and degradation conditions.

Pre-Switch’s platform, including the Pre-Drive™3 controller board, powered by the Pre-Flex™ FPGA, and RPG gate driver board, virtually eliminates switching losses, enabling fast switching at 100kHz, significantly improving low torque motor efficiency. High switching frequency also reduces motor copper and iron losses. For electric vehicles this results in a massive increase in range of 5-12%. The soft-switching solution also benefits industrial motors, solar, wind and traction applications or any other power converter requirement greater than 100kW that is looking to reduce costs and improve efficiency.

Volvo Trucks Intro Distance Alert

Volvo Trucks has introduced a new safety function, Distance Alert, which makes it easier for truck drivers to keep a safer distance from the vehicle ahead and avoid critical situations. Accidents where one vehicle runs into the back of another currently make up around 20 percent of all serious collisions involving trucks.

BMW Startup Garage

The BMW Startup Garage – part of the company’s Research, New Technologies and Innovations unit – has been tracking down the most innovative startups in the business for four years now, allowing the BMW Group to tap into their potential quickly and directly. So far, more than 50 up-and-coming technology companies have completed its startup program.

The BMW Group’s technology scouting network has a global reach. The BMW Startup Garage runs small, agile teams stationed at international technology hotspots. It now has representatives working at the BMW Group Technology Offices in Silicon Valley, Shanghai, Seoul and Tokyo. And these will be joined by a presence in Tel Aviv in the third quarter of 2019.

BorgWarner Joint Venture with Romeo Power

With global expertise supplying combustion, hybrid and electric vehicle propulsion solutions, BorgWarner is continuing to build its electrification portfolio and systems expertise by agreeing to form a joint venture with Romeo Power Technology, a technology-leading battery module and pack supplier. This new joint venture will be split 60/40 with BorgWarner obtaining the larger share.

Durr New Painting

Dürr, this is now changing. With its EcoPaintJet system, the world market leader in automotive painting technology presents an automated application solution that ensures an unprecedented level of precision in applying sharp paint lines. The EcoPaintJet also offers important benefits in the painting of electric cars.

Porsche Invests in Cetitec

New partner for the digital vehicle: Porsche is acquiring a majority stake in Pforzheim-based software company Cetitec. This is the Zuffenhausen sports car manufacturer’s response to the ever-increasing importance and growing complexity of software and electronics in vehicles

Velodyne Lidar SmarDrivingCar Summit

Velodyne Lidar, Inc. announced it is sponsoring the SmartDrivingCar Summit, which takes place on May 15-16 in Princeton, N.J. and brings together buyers, sellers, and facilitators of autonomous cars, trucks, and buses. At the summit, Velodyne will discuss and demonstrate their smart, powerful lidar solutions as an essential technology for autonomous vehicles (AVs) and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).

The SmartDrivingCar Summit examines the fundamental economic forces of supply, demand, and public oversight driving deployment and commercialization of vehicle autonomy. The event is co-chaired by Professor Alain Kornhauser of Princeton University and features academic, industry, and government experts discussing the safety benefits of self-driving cars, regulatory challenges, mobility and community service benefits, and technology.

Infineon Partners with VW

Infineon Technologies AG is a new partner in the Volkswagen Group’s strategic supplier network FAST (Future Automotive Supply Tracks). This program stands for close cooperation in key future fields. As the market leader in semiconductors for electro-mobility, Infineon contributes significantly to the move toward electric drivetrains by the world’s largest car maker. Infineon’s power modules control the electric drive in Volkswagen’s modular electric drive matrix MEB, which is the industry’s largest electrification platform. As part of FAST, Infineon and Volkswagen will also discuss future semiconductor requirements.n

Meritor Acquires AxleTech<

Meritor, Inc.  announced that it has entered into an agreement with an affiliate of The Carlyle Group, a global investment firm, under which Meritor will acquire AxleTech for approximately $175 million in cash, adjusted for changes in working capital at closing and subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, AxleTech is a privately-held leading technology company that designs, engineers, manufactures, sells and services drivetrain systems and components, with a focus on off-highway applications. AxleTech generated $248 million in revenue in calendar year 2018.

LeddarTech Chosen by May Mobility

LeddarTech, an industry leader in automotive and mobility LiDAR technology is excited to announce that May Mobility, one of the front-runners in the deployment of autonomous shuttles, has selected LeddarTech LiDAR technology to provide enhanced safety in their autonomous shuttle deployments. May Mobility has validated the technology with over 50,000 real-condition test drives before launching in full mass production.

LeddarTech’s solid-state Cocoon LiDAR solution is designed to create a complete 360-degree cocoon and deliver a higher degree of safety related to collision prevention in autonomous shuttle applications. Powered by LeddarTM technology, the selected LiDAR solution provides the optimal balance of performance and cost-effectiveness required for successful commercial deployment of autonomous mobility services. LeddarTech’s mature technology and experienced support team also provide faster integration, development, and time-to-market, at lower cost and risk.

The collaboration between LeddarTech and May Mobility brings enhanced security to all passengers of May Mobility’s vehicles, and this collaboration will continue for future autonomous fleet deployments.

Marvell Tech Buys Aquantia

Marvell Technology Group Ltd. a leader in infrastructure semiconductor solutions, and Aquantia, Corp.), a leader in Multi-Gig Ethernet connectivity, announced a definitive agreement, approved by the boards of directors of both companies, under which Marvell will acquire all outstanding shares of Aquantia common stock in exchange for consideration of $13.25 per share in cash.

The acquisition of Aquantia complements Marvell’s portfolio of copper and optical physical layer product offerings and extends its position in the Multi-Gig 2.5G/5G/10G Ethernet segments. In particular, Aquantia’s innovative Multi-gig automotive PHYs, coupled with Marvell’s industry-leading gigabit PHY and secure switch products, creates the broadest and most advanced range of high-speed in-car networking solutions in the world. This unique combination accelerates Marvell’s vision for the future of automotive networking with speeds necessary to enable level 4 and 5 autonomous driving.

Gore Battery Packs

W. L. Gore & Associates (Gore) introduced a technology to allow flexibility in designing the battery packs of the future, for vehicles including battery-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (BEVs/PHEVs).

The GORE Low Pressure Evacuation Vent for Battery Packs integrates three of the most important protection functions into one product. First, this new vent has a flexible membrane that supports a very low opening pressure and has an over-pressure bypass function that remains reversible. This ensures prompt relief of pressure differentials in normal and severe operating conditions, which can deform lightweight housings and cause even rugged seals to fail, providing a second benefit of managing over-pressures that are associated with thermal runaway of a single cell or module. Finally, the new GORETM Low Pressure Evacuation Vent for Battery Packs upholds Gore’s reputation as a leader in reliability and durability by facilitating pressure equalization and delivering critical protection against the intrusion of water, dirt, and dust.

Iteris for Texas

Iteris, Inc. the global leader in applied informatics for transportation and agriculture, today announced that its intersection detection and related traffic management products have been certified for purchase under the newly reinstated Texas SmartBuy contract 550-A2, administered by the Statewide Procurement Division of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.

Hyundai Mobis & MIT

Hyundai Mobis embarks on the road to open innovation in the field of new technology for future cars by cooperating with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA.

The MIT Industrial Liaison Program (ILP) joined by Hyundai Mobis boasts world-class caliber for its portfolios of core technologies with an annual patent-derived income of KRW 50 billion and a strong network of over 1,700 alumni startups. It is best known for its leading-edge competency in commercializing advanced concept technologies.

Global companies such as Hyundai Motor Company, BMW, Samsung, LG, Honda, and Denso are currently participating in this program, and now Hyundai Mobis has become the first mover among the Korean automotive suppliers to join.

MIT research labs are equipped with a diverse range of portfolios of multidisciplinary core technologies. Accordingly, it is expected to contribute to developing convergence technology for future cars such as ICT, healthcare, and new materials. Hyundai Mobis plans to quickly apply the cutting-edge technologies of startups to its vehicle systems through the startup matching provided by MIT.

Silicon Mobility Inverter

Silicon Mobility, the technology player powering control solutions for a cleaner, safer and smarter mobility, announced today the availability of OLEA® APP INVERTER HE, a high efficiency inverter and electric motor control application. The new inverter is optimized for the OLEA® FPCU which increases range of hybrid and electric vehicles up to 20% with the same battery capacity.

The OLEA® APP INVERTER HE is the first addition to the OLEA® APP High Efficiency application software products portfolio. The portfolio products are specifically designed to be executed on the OLEA® FPCU semiconductor platform from Silicon Mobility. OLEA® APP INVERTER HE integrates unique adaptive control algorithms which apply the most suitable control strategy upon requested power, motor angle, and speed. OLEA® APP INVERTER HE controls the inverter and e-Motor cutting energy losses into the power switches and into the electric motor while extending the operating range of the e-Motor. Simulations on a WLTP (Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedures) cycle demonstrate an energy gain of 20% when compared to incumbent multi-core microcontroller-based applications.

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